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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218174">Night Lights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/allislaughter/pseuds/allislaughter'>allislaughter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wordplay: So Love Us Till Sunset [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, POV Third Person, Present Tense, Trans Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:53:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/allislaughter/pseuds/allislaughter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sitting on a dock under yellow lights reminds Rig of his childhood and how hard it is for him to remember it. And how there are people and things now he doesn't want to forget.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deacon (Fallout)/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wordplay: So Love Us Till Sunset [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1901830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Night Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rig sits at the edge of the dock, cross-legged on the planks and bathed in yellow light, and watches the black water ripple and reflect the light in a golden glow... He sighs, running a hand down his face as he tries to keep from composing poetry watching the water. This kind of quiet, calm night, he doesn’t want to try to capture its beauty in words when he rather be preoccupied with memories so vague he isn’t sure if they’re real or dreams...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sunset for your thoughts?” Deacon asks from behind him, causing him to jump.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s— It’s nighttime?” Rig asks, looking up and then gasping at the sight of a familiar soda bottle. “Oh! Yes, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon grins and takes a seat next to him, twisting off the cap and handing the sarsaparilla over. “You’ve been out here for a while. Something wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig sips his soda and eyes the glittering water. He lowers the bottle from his lips, and rubs his thumb around the mouth of it. “This is— I remember this. From when I was a kid...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon tilts his head, and his sunglasses catch the light. “Didn’t you grow up not in this area? Or was that another of your patented lies? Which, by the way, infringes on </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> patent on lies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lived by a river,” Rig says. “Across the river was a marina. Dad worked there...” He sighs. “Got drunk there. Spent lots of nights going there to pick him up... having to wait for him to finish socializing... But it was safe, so I could go to the docks... Always— Always was afraid to fall in the water. I could swim, but never knew how I’d get out of that water without getting hurt...” He motions out to the water in front of them. “Black and dark, but reflecting the light. Yellow light, glittering like gold. Like this. Beautiful but... fear of the unknown, of what was in the water...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon hums. “Is... this a good or bad memory...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig wraps his hand around the bottle and gently squeezes it. “...I don’t know. Happened a lot, but... S’all blurred together. Don’t remember specifics. Don’t remember faces...” He looks up at Deacon. “I used to think my dad was my hero. Then I realized he wasn’t. Then I left and forgot what he looked like. What he sounded like. I don’t regret leaving. I just— I forgot so much. I don’t remember specifics, and I can’t tell what I actually did or what I dreamt up or what I got confused for something else. I— I don’t know if—” He leans over and rests his forehead on Deacon’s shoulder. “I don’t want to forget your face too. I don’t even know what it looks like now. I— I’m terrible...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Deacon turns and holds Rig by the shoulder. “Hey, look at me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig looks up at Deacon, blinking but saying nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know,” Deacon says. “Normally I’d change my face every so often. New year, new me and all. But this...” He motions over his face. “You like this look?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s— It’s a face,” Rig says. “I don’t— Am I supposed to? You look— just like everyone else looks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon grins. “Really now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig shrugs. “Only difference is skin tone. But— But am I supposed to like how faces look? Is that a thing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Some people do, that’s all,” Deacon says. “New question: would it be easier for you to remember me if I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> change how I look?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig hesitates. “I... don’t want to tell you </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> to change if you want to—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not the question, Rigs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig lowers his gaze. “...No. I can only remember what you look like when I’m looking at you. It’s— it makes you easier to recognize, not remember.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that good enough?” Deacon asks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig sighs. “Maybe... I... want to remember </span>
  <em>
    <span>this,</span>
  </em>
  <span> though. Just... you being here with me... In this lighting, on this night...” He reaches for Deacon’s hand and holds it. “I... don’t know if I’ll forget more about my childhood in the years to come. But I want to remember you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon chuckles and leans into Rig as Rig returns to drinking his soda. After a few moments of silence, he whispers, “You know what would make this more memorable?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Rig asks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If we throw something into the water and make whatever Mirelurks are sleeping in there mad and attack us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig laughs. “No! Leave them alone!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon,” Deacon laughs. “It’d be fun! I’ll keep you safe.” He squeezes Rig’s hand. “Still no? Fine with me. Echo would go Deathclaw Mode on me if I did that, for sure. Would ruin her date night with Nick.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should go on a date sometime,” Rig says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you call this, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Oh!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deacon grins at him. “You’re adorable. I love you so much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rig smiles back and wipes his lips before kissing Deacon’s cheek. “...Love you too.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://glitchvault74.tumblr.com/post/626684094376493056/yellow-halogen-lights-for-uhhhh-riggles">Click here for the link to the original Tumblr Post</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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